About

Bio

It never occurred to me that I would ever become a professional photographer. As a kid (I was born and raised in France), I was definitely drawn to photography and took every opportunity to use my father's camera, but I didn't fathom that it could be a real job – it was too much fun! So I followed the path towards a "serious" career, earning a master's degree in business. However, right after graduation things took an unexpected turn. My first job as a logs inspector for a French company got me to travel extensively in the US. I fell in love there, and eventually settled in New Orleans in 1991. I then held various jobs, including booking and managing musicians, and public relations attaché at the French Consulate for 6 years.

At the same time, I was becoming passionate about photography, taking mostly black and white pictures of musicians and doing "street" photography. Without any formal training but with the help of my mentor, Allen Steinman, I learned to process films and develop my own pictures. Several exhibits in Louisiana and France followed, first showing black and white pictures, then sharing my "New Orleans Walls" series in 1994 - my first exploration of color (revived in 2008, the series is now a book entitled "New Orleans Walls: Still Standing" featuring Fats Domino, Drew Brees, Charmaine Neville, and many other New Orleanians: NewOrleansWalls.com).

My move in 2000 from New Orleans to Sandpoint, Idaho marked the end of my darkroom years. I turned to digital photography, doing mostly portraits and showing fine art images through the Pend Oreille Arts Council on a regular basis. At that point, I finally realized that I could embrace photography professionally.

Architectural photography came accidentally in 2007, when I accepted an assignment purely as a learning experience. I became fascinated with the subject and its challenges, and have since carried out many more architectural projects with increased pleasure and satisfaction. Most of my architectural work is done using available light combined with a nuanced digital edit. My sense of composition is mostly intuitive, and my goal is to be faithful to the eye's experience. I have been a regular contributor to Western Art and Architecture since 2012. I am a PPA member, fully insured.

What they say (architecture)

“Marie-Dominique is the most passionate photographer I’ve worked with and it shows in her body of work. She takes the time to understand the myriad of context issues and knows how to evoke just the right personality in each shot. Her attention to detail and ability to tell the story through photography significantly contributed to the national recognition of our buildings.”

"[Marie-Dominique] has actually dazzled me with her abilities in the digital format. Sight lines are terrific and the colors are stunning. She has a great eye for composition so the pictures really tell the story about what is going on."

- Jon Sayler, A.I.A. P.S. Jon R. Sayler Architect, Sandpoint, ID

"[Marie-Dominique] has a great eye for composition. I’m amazed at the artistic arrangements she creates between building and nature. I would recommend [Marie-Dominique]. She’s very good to work with and is respectable and accommodating of owner’s properties and schedules."

- John Hendricks, A.I.A. Hendricks Architecture, Sandpoint, ID

"We and the GC hired Marie-Dominique to photograph a small, modern cabin in Idaho. She is fantastic! Creative, artistic, and captured the essence of the cabin perfectly. Would definitely collaborate with her again in the future."